By Fatoumata Sissi Ngom, translated by Florian Bobin from French into English
In this powerful and initiatory piece, Fatoumata Sissi Ngom unfolds man and woman’s original dimensions, mixing Science, cell biology, and philosophy to explain gender inequalities and analyse the coming, natural and programmed end of toxic masculinity.
Rokhaya laments the plight of women in African society. She wants to understand the origin of the world’s rules of life and the injustices against women. Rokhaya has an extraordinary gift. The gift of entering a kind of limbo, a magical and indeterminate space, and to build her own dreams. What we call lucid dreams. She laid down on her bed, applied the method of which only she has the secret and plunged into a sweet sleep. Today, in her dreams, she has decided to converse with a mighty biologist, Dr. Shettles, who made a tremendous discovery a long time ago.
— Dr. Shettles, she said, I would like to understand the beginning of life and examine the origin of inequalities between men and women. What do you have to teach me?
— How about a game? he replied. I’ll give you a few small clues, and then you think about it.
He carried on.
— Before the beginning of life, male spermatozoa, which go on a fantastic journey to the egg and form a baby boy, are ultra-fast. However, they are fragile and their lifespan is measured in hours. Female spermatozoa, which go on the same wonderful journey to the egg and form a baby girl, are slower, but much more resistant and resilient. They can live up to three days, even longer sometimes.
Suddenly, in her own dream, Rokhaya had an illumination. The origin of the world unfolded before her. Isn’t there a powerful hidden message here? Nature is extraordinary.
She began to meditate to develop a theory.
— Ah, so that’s why more men than women are born into this world, she thought. They get to the egg faster. I once asked a geography teacher about this, but he only called out to God in his explanations. That is why women naturally live longer than men: Nature takes back its predispositions. But then, what happened to the world? she wondered.
The answer came to her. It was a man who first decided the rules and defined the first orders of the world.
It was a man who decided that women were inferior to him. It was a man who decided that women should be subject to him. It was a man who decided how women should dress. Man took the upper hand from the beginning of the world. Injustice and millenary domination followed to the detriment of women. But as in the cycle of life, societies are moving towards a natural balance that will give back to women their place. This march is slow and follows the pace of the world. Women walk, with strength and tranquillity, towards their time. They prove that they do the same things as man. There are women warriors, heroines, inventors, creators. In Africa, as in all the other continents of the world, justice is being done for women. But time seems to be longer in Africa.
So, she decided, in her dream, to write a letter to the children of Africa.
To the little girl who reads me, know that you are neither inferior nor weaker than the little boys. Your brain is capable of the same things that a boy’s brain is capable of. You have the right to study, work, and participate later in your country’s development. You, too, can change the world for the better. You are free. But as you grow up, know that man is not your enemy: he can be your partner. If you cooperate, he can complement you.
To the little boy who reads to me, open your eyes around you and observe the injustices against girls. If you see a girl being hit, protest. If you are being served more food than your sister, cousin, or friend just because you are a young man and you have to be stronger, protest. If you see a little girl spending a lot of time in the kitchen instead of doing her homework like you do, protest. As you grow up, know that submission and weakness are anomalies: women are your partner. If you cooperate, they can complement you.
Rokhaya thanked Dr. Shettles and decided to open her eyes. She looked around her room and noticed a sheet of paper folded in half on her desk.
Then she unfolded it and discovered the letter she had written in her dream.
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